Family description

Herbs, shrubs, trees (mostly evergreen) with smooth, thin barks that smell aromatic and often contain resinous sap.
Leaves simple, alternate to opposite to (pseudo-)whorled, generally spirally arranged, margins untoothed, blade often leathery and finely gland dotted, lower surface often bluish-white. No stipules.
Flowers mostly small, greenish-white to yellowish, bisexual or male and female on different trees, crowded in branched clusters or globular heads at leaf axils. Calyx with 3-6-lobes in 2 whorls, no corolla (petals). Stamens usually in 2-4 whorls of 3, 3rd whorl usually with glands at base, inner whorl often sterile and small, anthers opening by 2-4 pores covered by small flaps. Style 1, short, ovary usually superior.
Fruits are drupes, i.e. a single seed surrounded by a thin layer of fleshy tissue, or berries, often black-purple in colour. The fruit stalk often swollen and brightly coloured (red). Calyx persistent.

General info

Distribution Pan-tropical, but mostly in Asia and South America. Ca. 3000 species and many ill described genera.
Ecology The trees vary from understorey to canopy size, usually in undisturbed forest, becoming more abundant at higher elevations.
Uses Many essential and aromatic oils/flavorings (cinnamom, camphor), edible fruits (advocado), medicinal, timber (including Ulin or Iron Wood).
Similar to Icacinaceae, but this family differs by having 2 ovules instead of 1 and anthers that don't have pores. Monimiaceae, but this family differs by having dentate leaves.